<<DP World will offer container weighing services across its global portfolio when the new International Maritime Organization ruling is enforced from July 1, and is the first terminal operator to make such a widespread commitment.
An amendment to the SOLAS convention mandates that shippers must obtain the verified gross mass of laden export containers and communicate that data to ocean carriers sufficiently in advance for the ship to plan its stowage.
Carriers and terminal operators will be legally obliged to ensure containers without a VGM are not loaded on to a ship in all 162 SOLAS signatories that are required to enforce the new law. Shipping lines have already informed their customers that they will be implementing a strict no VGM, no load policy.
DP World has already announced that it will offer container weighing services at several of its terminals, but the Dubai-based port operator is confident it will be ready to roll out the service at all its facilities by July 1.
“All our terminals will be ready to meet the obligations under the legislation by July 1 and each one will have certified weighing solutions in place to serve exporters in the IMO member states where we operate,” said HE Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, group chairman and CEO.
But like with most areas of the new SOLAS rule, making a conclusive statement is difficult. DP World’s global terminals will have certified weighing capabilities “if” this is permitted under the locally adapted implementation of the SOLAS regulation. Each jurisdiction must elect an agency to enforce the rule, issue tolerance levels for the weighing process, and ensure the scales used have been officially sanctioned and calibrated.
National governments have been slow in providing guidelines, with China the most notable jurisdiction yet to make public its requirements. Most of the world’s export containers flow from China and there is huge concern in the industry that the weighing requirements can be met.
It is not only in China where concern is mounting. The U.K. P&I Club said some terminals and shippers seem unprepared or even unaware of the SOLAS amendment, and it warned that unless practical steps were taken, chaos and commercial disputes could be expected after July 1.
The insurer said failure to comply would likely result in fines and penalties, but it could cause delays, disruptions to loading procedures and potential loss of business for carriers.>>
Fuente: JOC.com, Greg Knowler, http://www.joc.com/port-news/terminal-operators/dp-world/dp-world-says-it-will-weigh-containers-all-its-terminals_20160421.html